Figure 1.--Standard English school shorts had two front pockets and no back pockets. Stylistic changes affected the pockets, especially the size of the pockets. Shorts at mid-century tended to be long and baggy. This allowed for large, voluminous pockets. Shorts in the 1960s began to become both shorter and more snug fitting. This mean that much less could be fitted into the pockets.

Pockets are an important part of the pants and trousers. This was especially the case for boys because they liked to pick up all kind of little treasures and pockets were a great place to store them. Short pants and trousers come with some variation in the pocket arrangements. The standard arrangement was two front pockets and no back pockets. There were differences between short anf long trousers as well as tyoes of trousers. School shorts were usually made without back pockets. Boys did not normally have wallets, thus there was no real need for back pockets. I'm not sure about the long trousers. Here the pocket arrangements varied as to the type of schools. Stylistic changes affected the pockets, especially the size of the pockets. Shorts at mid-century tended to be long and baggy. This allowed for large, voluminous pockets. Shorts in the 1960s began to become both shorter and more snug fitting. This mean that much less could be fitted into the pockets. In addition to the existence of pockets and the pocket arrangements, one interesting question is just what boys carry in their pockets. We have collected some accounts.

Number and Arrangement

Pants and trousers come with all kinds of pocket arrangements. There were differences between short and long trousers as well as tyoes of trousers. School shorts were usually made without back pockets, I'm not sure about longs. Here the pocket arrangements varied as to the type of schools. A reader writes, "In the 1950s longs had a back pocket (right-hand side) - that was part of the excitement of this rite of passage, in that one felt even more grown-up. 20 years on, as children got into longs earlier and earlier, they tended to come without the back pocket and even with elasticated waistbands like those of school shorts for really young boys. Sizes for mid-teens and older, however, would still be styled conventionally, as for adults."

Size

Stylistic changes affected the pockets, especially the size of the pockets. Shorts at mid-century tended to be long and baggy. This allowed for large, voluminous pockets. Shorts in the 1960s began to become both shorter and more snug fitting. This mean that much less could be fitted into the pockets.

Contents

In addition to the existence of pockets and the pocket arrangements, one interesting question is just what boys carry in their poclets. This is particularly interesting for the younger boys wearing short trousers. Their assessment as to what is valuable and importabt to save and collect is fascinating. We have collected some accounts.

Personal Experiences

Brief notes

From my son's pockets, on leaving prep school, I unpacked the following items (from one pair of short trousers): 2 tennis balls (1 yellow, one black with no fluff); 3 ping-pong balls; dirty handkerchief; page of geometry and football teams; 2 broken pens and 2 pencils; penknife; plastic lemon full of water; 1 new penny and 1 cent; parking ticket; letter in envelope; lump of blue billiards chalk; pair of nail-clippers; 6 inch length of chain; 2 plastic 'heads' reading T.Cooper; plastic whistle; 1 skull key-ring; button off shorts; plastic frog's leg; assorted cornflakes coupons; assorted cardboard badges. Although it was many years ago now, I kept the list.

During my brief teaching career in the 1960s I once saw a boy who disliked eating fish put into the pocket of his grey flannel shorts a pilchard in tomato sauce.

I hated pumpkin and would slide it off my plate at school and into my pocket, later to dump it after school.

1950s account

How true it is when you say pockets are important to boys. And what we would cram into them, not least at this time of year in the UK when horse chestnuts (conkers) were falling from the trees! When I was at school in the 1950s and very early 1960s jackets were seldom taken off but a top pocket and two side pockets only added to the score, at least in the early years. The top pocket was not supposed to be used, unless perhaps you had a pocket-watch although that was regarded as rather geeky. A single inside pocket tended to come with those flannel suits including long trousers, a rite of passage for those entering teens but slightly earlier for the exceptionally tall. Blazers tended to remain sparse, as far as pockets were concerned. Long trousers came with the added excitement of a single back pocket but wallets tended to be hand-me-downs from adults and too large to be carried comfortably in that way in any case. Such was the full cut of long trousers then, with double pleats at the front, that the back pocket tended to slip round to the side as one leant forward - especially if in use. By the time trousers became tighter in the mid-to-late 1960s, jackets tended to compensate with copious inside pockets. Since the tightness meant that the outline of even a folded piece of paper became visible on the seat of such trousers, alternative pockets were just as well.

Created: 10:54 PM 9/16/2011
Last updated: 10:54 PM 9/16/2011